Scales and Salt
by AdamMalachite
Summary: A pirate/mermaid au. Mostly Rookery/Manny, but two chapters are devoted to other couples.
1. First Meeting

**A/N: Stupid AU idea I had, based on The Little Vampire 2017. Rookery is a pirate, and Manny's a mermaid. And once again, I'm trying to portray both the good and bad of if they were ever involved romantically.**

It was stupid to think that a man who couldn't even swim would make a good pirate. But here he was, Rookery, a goddamn idiot who'd been suckered in by the allure of the pirate life, who was going to die.

For six months he had managed to stay aboard a measly little ship but then his luck ran out. A huge storm, with great crackling lightning and huge looming waves had descended upon the ship and he'd been tossed like a ball overboard.

Now he was sinking, struggling, flailing, but ultimately failing. He was going to die here. He began to see black as he choked and choked on more briny water. Images, memories, everything that happened to him in his life before this flashed by in mere seconds, but it seemed like eons. He surrendered to the darkness. . .

Warmth, prickly and wet. Water, on his body flowing and receding. . .

Opening his eyes, coughing, Rookery woke up. To add to the shock of somehow _surviving_ , there was a man lying on top of him. And he wasn't just a human man, either.

A merman was lying on top of him, staring at him. He had bright orange hair, with big glassy eyes, and blue fins for ears. His teeth(from what Rookery could see)were sharp like shark's teeth.

"WHAT THE-" Rookery yelled, sitting up suddenly. This pushed away the merman, who fell on the beach. Now Rookery could see his tail, long and muscular and blue.

"Calm down! You were drowning! I saved you!"

"Why?"

"Why? YOU WERE DYING!"

"I-" He was choking on his words. Here he was, somehow saved from death, and yet here he was, flustered by this beautiful merman. He clasped his face in his hands, trying to get it together.

"Ok, ok. Just breathe. I know, it's scary. But you're safe now." he took Rookery's hands. Rookery blushed, much to his embarrassment.


	2. Body Differences

**A/N: Chapter 2! Whee! I suck at writing.**

"You humans are so fascinating".

The merman, Manny, was poking his fingers in Rookery's mouth. His scaly, wet hands trailed over Rookery's teeth, so different from his own.

Rookery had not been expecting so intimate an exploration when Manny asked if he could examine him. But it wasn't so bad. Sure, he kept gagging on Manny's fingers, but it was cute in a way.

Now, Manny's hands were out of his mouth, running down his chest, to his legs.

He was so gentle, touching his knees and thighs, his shins, his feet. Sometimes he was a bit rough, prodding or poking, but it all felt good to Rookery.

Suddenly, he tensed. Manny had his hands on his crotch. Thankfully, Rookery was wearing his clothes, but he still was considerably aroused.

"What's this?"

"It's a, um, penis. It's a human organ for reproduction."

"Ah." He still had his hands on Rookery's dick, and now it was getting uncomfortable.

"Could you stop, please? I'm, um-"

"Oh, it hurts. I'm sorry." He folded his hands in his own lap.

"It's ok."

"You know, you humans really are so gorgeous." He smiled, and Rookery smiled back.


	3. Swimming

**A/N: god this is cheesy.**

It had been a week since Manny had rescued Rookery, and now they had settled into a routine.

Manny was teaching Rookery to swim, despite his protests. It had been hard, but despite Rookery's stubbornness and his habit of splashing like a drowning man, they'd made some progress.

"There, there." Manny held Rookery as he treaded water, with little splashing for once.

"I can't believe this, I'm learning it."

"You're doing great. Soon you'll be swimming like a dolphin."

"I love dolphins." His eyes grew bright as he talked, an actual smile on his face. "I've watched them so often when I sailed the ocean, they're so playful and intelligent. It's like watching little kids figuring out how to do something like read or talk. It's just so adorable!"

"I've swum with dolphins, and you're quite right about them." He smiled, holding Rookery closer.

"If I were to become a merman like you, I'd like to have a dolphin tail."

"That suits you, honey."


	4. Argument

**A/N: now I finally get to some drama. about time. Also yes, Manny is telling the truth, Rookery's just a jealous bastard.**

"You goddamn whore!" Rookery yelled at the merman on the rock.

"You're overreacting! That girl was my cousin!"

"Liar! You tease me and then you kiss some tramp!"

"It was on the cheek, a mere peck!"

Rookery lunged at the merman, grabbing him by the arms. He punched him, without any hesitation, right in the eye.

Manny immediately hit him back with his tail, knocking Rookery into the water. He struggled to stay above water, splashing and sputtering and gasping wildly.

"HOW DARE YOU?" He screamed, holding his eye, tearing up a bit.

Rookery didn't answer, only dragging himself onto shore and walking away.


	5. Bruised

A/N: angst. hurt. you get the idea

Manny's eye was still bruised, but it had been a few days since the incident so it was slightly less swollen and purple. It still hurt though, and the mermaid had been avoiding the pirate ever since.

The fact that the rugged man who was so beautiful and fascinating, who seemed to be interested in him, had punched him out of a immature fit of jealous. All that had happened was that his cousin Aria, had said hello and given him a quick peck on the cheek.

And yet that was enough to make Rookery mad enough to hurt him.

He was a fool. He knew that no good could, would come of going back to a man who'd hit him over that, but fuck, he was stupid. That man was so different from anyone else he'd met in the ocean, and he wanted to learn more him and his human body and ways.

One thing was for sure though. He'd never become human to be with him.


	6. Dinner

**A/N: like the tides they shift.**

The sky was bright and pink, the sun setting into the west. Rookery had made a small fire, over which he was cooking some fish he had caught.

When he had finished, he carried the fish to the shore where he sat in the sand, the waves touching his legs and receding, touching and receding. Manny swam up, carrying his own fish.

Nodding in greeting, they began to eat. While Rookery had cooked his meal, Manny ate his raw and still alive, chomping at the fish like a fine delicacy.

Rookery's eyes were drawn to the mostly healed bruise around Manny's eye. When Manny looked directly into his eyes, he immediately looked off into the distance.

"You know-I'm sorry about that."

"That, huh?" Manny avoided his gaze.

"Yes. I was an idiot, for acting on impulsive assumptions. I just hope we can remember this and learn from it."

"No, just you. You were the one who punched me, who called me a whore. It's your damn fault. Own up to it."

Rookery took a breath. "Alright, it was my fault, and I will not be so easily swayed by my emotions."

"Thank you."

Rookery waded into the water a bit, sitting next to Manny. He took him in his arms, straddling him.

He kissed him, finally. Sure it was wet and his mouth tasted like raw fish, but Manny was warm and oh god he was kissing back and it was so nice to really touch another person, or well, being like this, it had been so long. . .


	7. Word of Your Body

**A/N: one person on Tumblr(where I first published this)wanted some smut, so I tried to provide some without being a gross fujoshi. anyway, this is the buildup to that request.**

Laying in the sand, they idly rested. It was night now, the stars and moon glittering on a merman with his tail curled around a man, who was kissing him intensely, his hands wrapped in his hair.

The merman's hand drifted idly to the other man's hips, gently tracing the curve of the bone.

"I have no idea how good of a pirate you are, but you certainly have stolen my heart."

"No wonder you're a merman you're too good to be a human."

He kissed the gills on Manny's neck, making him squirm, and he even mumbled a little, blushing hard.

"Don't be shy, I encourage you to explore me too. After all, don't you want to know more about my body?"


	8. Two Into One

**a/n:i tried to be poetic.**

Body on body, warmth transferred

Mouth on hips lips neck ears penis

Touch fire sighing moaning

Salt sand getting everywhere water and cold vs body heat

Curvature of your hips body legs new poetry of land

Tail soft smooth slick perfectly curling around legs curling around tail

Something entirely new me and you together as one an experience beyond our bodies

Hands touching feeling molding creating


	9. Caring

**A/N: I don't know.**

"What happened?"

He stared at the long bleeding gashes on Manny's back, at the purple bruises on his shoulders.

"It was a fight." He avoided Rookery's gaze.

"Jesus Christ you swam here with those wounds? Dammit, come here."

He dragged the merman onto the shore, at the point where the waves broke on the beach and dropped him there. He ripped off some fabric from his pants, and wrapped it around Manny's chest. He gently held him from the back, his legs around the other's tail.

"You really didn't-"

"Shut up."


	10. Playing

**A/N: eh, enjoy.**

The naked man before him, lay in the sand, his eyes closed serenely. Manny was lying on top of him, lazily kissing him and exploring his human body.

His left hand drifted down to, and rested upon the other's thigh, stroking the sensitive soft flesh.

Rookery mumbled a little, and Manny could feel his very hard reaction to it. He stroked harder, until Rookery was goddamn purring like a tiger and he felt a bit of stickiness.

"More?"

"More!"

He took the long weird tentacle between Rookery's legs, and pulled and twisted and stroked. The effect was amazing. The usually gruff stoic man was now wailing like a cat in heat, squirming and and blushing.

There was a release and he stared in awe at the flushed man below him, at this work of art.


	11. More Than Mermen

**A/N: Set up for a chapter, featuring, hint, a blond and a brunette.;)**

Sometimes it seemed like the merman was both hungry and horny, such as right now. He was biting Rookery all over: neck thighs lips legs. Imprints of sharp teeth like rings all over, some slightly oozing a drop of blood or two.

"Please stop. It reminds me of a vampire."

"A what?"

"A vampire. They're undead creatures who suck human blood to "live" and they often kill them too, without mercy or care."

"Oh, like the shark creatures."

"The what now?"

"They're half human like us merfolk, but they have shark tails and teeth, and they drink blood to live."

"Do they kill your kind often?"

"No, they only need a little blood each day to live, and they never try to hurt anyone intentionally."

"Bullshit."

"I'm serious!"

"Ok, ok." He rolled his eyes, gently ruffling the merman's bright hair.


	12. Fishes

**A/N: Now this chapter is about. . .Rudolph and Tony!**

Sharks aren't horrible monsters, in reality. They are beautiful animals, like any other creature from the ocean.

Tony knew this, because his boyfriend was(partly)one.

Tony himself was merely a young merman. He had been a lonely boy, not easily connecting with other kids, his interest in the most obscure and creepiest sea creatures not helping.

That was, until he met Rudolph, two weeks after he became 13.

He had been swimming in a coral reef near his home, when he saw a young boy thing to his far left.

However, the boy didn't have a fish tail. His tail was grey, with a prominent fin, and Tony could slightly see a hint of sharp teeth in his mouth.

Tony, caught by surprise, instinctively yelped.

The boy turned to look at him, giving him a weird look.

"Huh?"

"I'm, uh, sorry! I haven't really met anyone like you before, ah uh. . ."

"No wonder you were staring. Who are you?"

"Tony Thompson. And you?"

"Rudolph Sackville-Bagg." He began to swim off.

"Hey! Wait!"

"What?"

"I want you to stay!"

"Why?"

"I want to know you, really know. I didn't mean to be rude, that's all."

"Ah." He looked him fully in the eye. "I would like that."


	13. Sweet Past

**A/N: So this is a Gregory/male! OC drabble. My OC is Seamus, and I'm working on his and Gregory's story, so expect that one day!**

"Hello."

The seventeen year old human boy, with fair brown hair and blue eyes, sat on the rock by the sea, his hand outreached to another boy.

This boy however, had black hair and dark eyes, with shark teeth, filling up his mouth to the brim.

"Seamus."

"I'll always be back here, Greg. Please don't be sad."

"I'm sorry, I've just been so lonely here in the ocean with you on the warm land. . ." Gregory sighed, his arms curling around Seamus's bare waist.

"I'll join you, one day."

"Mmmm, thank you." He kissed his stomach, which made Seamus giggle and squirm.

"Come 'ere, love." He pulled Greg up and kissed him firmly, holding him in his arms.

The shark-merman was quick to respond, and he was careful not to bite Seamus's lips.

They lay back on the rock, two teen boys separated by two worlds meeting on the cleft of both.


	14. BreathControl

**A/N: I dunno. Enjoy.**

"We need to work on your breath control." Manny said, giving the pirate a look.

Rookery glared back, treading water sullenly.

"Why?"

"Because if you really want to learn how to swim, you're going to have to practice holding your breath. I spend so much time on the shore with you, and for once, I wish you'd just swim with me more."

"Ok, so how am I gonna practice that?"

Manny smiled, a smirk that showed off his lovely sharp teeth.

"I have an idea. Do you consent?"

"Uh, yeah of course. What is it"

Manny went down him, one hand dragging Rookery down into the water. He splashed and sputtered, then his torso was dragged up into the air.

Gasping, he took a breath, then was dragged back down. Over and over, Manny kept dragging him up and down, all the meanwhile sucking his dick. It took a few times, but Rookery got used to the rhythm and was holding his breath pretty well.

Eventually, (after release) they stopped.

"What'd you think, Rook?"

"That", he gasped, "was a great idea."


	15. Mersong

**A/N: This is the final chapter. Also, this ending was originally an alternate ending, but I feel like it's better than the original so yeah.**

There was one thing, one very powerful ability, that any mercreature had. A singing voice so captivating, so beautiful, that it trapped any human who heard it in an irrevocable love spell.

It is a heavy gift. And one not to be used foolishly.

Manny was struggling with an agonizing dilemma. Lately, though he had been enjoying brief periods of intimacy and companionship with Rookery, things had not been going well. Rookery rarely came to see him anymore, and even then he barely listened to Manny or even tried to talk to him. If he was lucky, the man would come for some quick rough sex, but that was it. And even then, despite knowing better, he let him fuck him. He wanted it, honestly, even if this behavior only reinforced Rookery's rare visits. Desire is irrational like that.

He had heard from his family, his friends, about what a spellbound human was like. They never strayed, they were loyal, doting, absolutely the same except they'd never abandon you. Ever.

Could he do it? Could he bear to enslave this human? But then again, could he bear being used for only one purpose, ignored the rest of the time?

At sunset, Rookery walked to the shore. Jumping in, he swam out to where Manny was perched on a large rock.

"Hello."

"I want you to hear something." Manny blurted out, his hands reaching out for, cupping Rookery's face. Staring into his eyes, he made a decision.

" _Baby you're like lightning in a bottle/I won't let you go now that I got you"_. As he sang, feeling the power swelling throughout his body, released through his mouth, he saw the other man's eyes widen. He was utterly helpless. And now forever his.


End file.
